H. J. H. OKEY.]

33

1.—13 a.

Resolution passed by Meeting of Settlers in Raupuha School District. " That this meeting of settlers in the Raupuha School District emphatically protests against the abolition of the Taranaki Education Board as proposed in the Education Bill now before the House, and is of opinion that by adjusting the boundaries and extending the district it can be more easily and efficiently worked from this centre than in any other way ; and also considers that the removal of control of educational matters from the capital town of Taranaki would be seriously detrimental to the best interests of education."

Resolution carried at Inglewood. " That this meeting emphatically protests against the abolition of the Taranaki Education District as proposed in the Education Bill now before the House. " That in view of the rapid increase in the population of Taranaki, not only in the older and closer-settled portions but also in the back country, it would be detrimental to the best interests of the people to remove the control of educational matters from New Plymouth. " That this meeting is decidedly of opinion that the present education district should be retained and enlarged so as to include the whole of the Provincial District of Taranaki." Resolution carried by Householders at Egmont Village. " That this meeting of householders strongly protests against the proposed abolition of the Taranaki Education District, and that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Education and the member for the district."

Harold Trimble examined. (No. 18.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your position ?—I am Chairman of the Taranaki Education Board. 2. Do you wish to make a statement to the Committee ?—Yes. In supporting the claim of the Taranaki Education District to be retained as a separate district under the Education Act, I contend that it is possible to show that there will be a better area for promotion of teachers than is at present the case, and also that such a district can be easily and economically administered from New Plymouth. The map now laid before you shows the area of five districts in the North Island which it is suggested are better than those set out in the Bill now before Parliament. With the exception of Auckland they are fairly equal in population, and each district would be suitable, both in the number and character of the schools, for providing a reasonable scope for the promotion of teachers. The counties in each education district would be as follows : Auckland- -Mangonui, Whangaroa, Hokianga, Bay of Islands, Hobson, Whangarei, Otamatea, Rodney, Waitemata, Eden, Manukau, Raglan, Waipa, Waikato, Ohinemuri, Thames, Coromandel; Taranaki —Kawhia, Awakino, Waitomo, West Taupo, Clifton, Ohura, Taranaki, Whangamomona, Egmont, Stratford, Waimate West, Eltham, Hawera, Patea; Wanganui -Kaitieke, Waimarino, Waitotara, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Kiwitea, Oroua, Manawatu, Kairanga, Pohangina, Woodville, Dannevirke, Waipawa, Waipukurau, Patangata, Weber; Hawke's Bay-Piako, Matamata, Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane, Opotiki, Waiapu, Waikohu, Cook, East Taupo, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay ; Wellington—Pahiatua, Akitio, Horowhenua, Eketahuna, Mauriceville, Masterton, Castlepoint, Wairarapa South, Hutt, Featherston, Makara. The numbers and grades of schools in each district are as follows (figures for 1912) : — Grade 0. I. ir. 111. TV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. Total. Auckland .. .. 29 87 107 67 87 17 20 6 10 10 12 452 Taranaki .. .. 7 36 44 35 51 10 3 6 1 2 1 196 Wanganui .. #. 9 41 47 29 63 17 7 11 5 3 1 233 Wellington.. -. 9 23 33 24 36 10 10 9 T9 1 6 170 Hawke's Bay .... 19 24 33 16 39 9 6 11 fl 0 0 158 Such a district as I have outlined can be easily and economically worked from New Plymouth, the counties proposed to be added on the south—viz., Waimate West, Eltham, Hawera, and Patea—being easily accessible by rail and being well roaded, while those to the north- viz., Kawhia, Awakino, Waitomo, West Taupo, and Ohura—present no very great difficulty. The railway is now open to Whangamomona, and a further section to Kohuratahi nearly completed, and within a few years it will be. open as far as Tahora, and work is also being done at the Ongarue end. From Tahora there is a good coach-road (with a regular coach and mail service) by which the schools in the Ohura County can be reached, and when once the main line of railway is reached the schools in Waitomo, West Taupo, Kawhia, and Awakino can be easily got at by road. And there is no doubt that within a very few years there will be good communication along the coast by steamer from New Plymouth. New Plymouth has an advantage in having been an administrative centre of education for the past forty years, the first Education Board having been established there in 1874, and the proposal to remove administration from there has already caused a good deal of heart-burning and ill feeling, and has been protested against by a large majority of the School Committees and local bodies throughout Taranaki. We contend that districts such as we suggest would be better than those set out in the Bill, both as being better served by road and rail and therefore more easily administered, also as giving better areas for promotion of teachers, while the number of districts would not be increased. With the exception of some of the counties added on the north the district suggested includes nothing which was not in

s—l. 13a.